News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-08-18
FROM WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent


tingent, headed by Harper's Weekly
and the New York Times, are greatly
exercised about the ''pernicious &C
tivity" and ill-concealed contempt of
the civil service rules displayed by
Eugene Higgins and other Federal Of
ficials of his type in the recent Demo-
cratic primary elections at Baltimore,
and these heightened political penists
are wondering what their patron saint
will do about it. Like that other
great machine Democrat, William W.
Tweed, the offenders in question will
soon triumphantly say to their accu-
sers, "What are you going to do
about it?" | have not the remotest
idea that any henchman of Senator
German will be either disturbed or re-
buked, for does not this crowd carry
in the hollow of its hand the vote of
the ring-ridden State of Maryland,
whose support of Cleveland and De-
mocracy are indispensable to the sue
cess of both? So the Mugwumps may
as well stife their disappointment and
fall in at the rear of the Democratic
procession.
After long delay rather peculiar
pension case has been decided against
the claimant upon trivial technical
ity that deserves naught but the Sc
verest condemnation. A true Union,l
soldier, TO escape the appalling hor-
rors of Andersonville prison, informed
his comrades that, to avoid starvation,
he would desert to the rebels, and in
short time return and resume his
allegiance, which resolution he faith
fully carried out, except for a brief
period, fighting for the cause of free
dom throughout the war. But, now
he is denied pension on the ground
that he "aided, directly or indirectly,
the enemies of the government"
Union soldiers need not expect just
treatment from this soldier hating adj
ministration when there is the least
loop-hole of escape.
If it has accomplished no other
good, the Interstate Commission has
done the public an important service
in bringing to the attention of the
country the cruel and unjust treat
ment visited upon the colored people
by the Southern railroads for the he
NOUS offence Of wanting to travel
in first-class cars when paying first
class fare. Two cases of this kind,
in each of which respectable colored
men were brutally driven from first
class cars into what are known as
slim Crow" cars, set apart for tough
characters and those who indulge in
''the weed" were up for considera-
ton. Although no decision has been
given in either case, think the great
evil will be checked by such a method
of bringing public opinion to bear
upon the matter.
During July, the first month of the
present fiscal year, the amount of the
reduction of the public debt was s4,-
S44 1874; the whole debt is now ST.
PA ,5S3 ,S42, of which 81 ,O66, 600, $50
is interest bearing debt. The total
cash in the treasury On July 31st, was
about forty-fve and three-quarters S
or five millions in excess of !
4 month ago. While the revenue re- {
,eipts were somewhat increased, the
disbursements for July were five mill
ions and a half more than for the :
same month last year.
The important move in naval mat
ters is Secretary Whitney's contract
with the European Hotchkiss Ord
nance Company for the establishm ent
IN this country, of branch gun fac
tory. The Secretary, of course,
claims that he has made the best ar
ragement in his power, but whether
he can impress that idea upon Amer
lean working-men is quite another
question, though the Secretary stated,
and perhaps truly, that the Hotchkiss
Company is an American institution,
our countrymen almost ex-
L am informed that the summer trip
of Senators Plumb, Cameron and Vest
to the Territory of Alaska is of spec
lal significance, being somewhat of an
official character, as these statesmen
are On committees that will have much
to do liz making legislation in regard
to the mineral and commercial deyel- {
opment of that distant possession of {
Uncle Samuel. That there is anoth- {
er question of grave import to be con-
sldered in the connection-the dis
pute between the United States and
England in regard to the boundary
between Alaska and British Columbia. t
V aluable gold mines which American {
Adventures are said to be working on q
British territory is the cause that has
ed to this controversy, the solution
Of which the latter government con-
'iders will be surrounded with more {
than the settlement of the
question of the disputed fisheries. ~ !
The reform administration seems
1egenerating every day. 1t is real .
'ad' not to say discouraging, to re-
1ect that his Corpulency is setting the